diff --git a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 49d3bfb845..2487537f8c 100644
--- a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ set(SOVERSION 0)
 
 get_filename_component(LAMMPS_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/.. ABSOLUTE)
 get_filename_component(LAMMPS_LIB_BINARY_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/lib ABSOLUTE)
+# collect all executables and shared libs in the top level build folder
+set(CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR} CACHE PATH "Folder for executables, DLLs and shared objects" FORCE)
+set(CMAKE_LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR} CACHE PATH "Folder for libraries" FORCE)
 
 set(LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR     ${LAMMPS_DIR}/src)
 set(LAMMPS_LIB_SOURCE_DIR ${LAMMPS_DIR}/lib)